Keir Starmer's Green Belt house building blitz 'threatens our rural spaces', Housing Secretary Michael Gove warns

Labour's housing policies are a 'threat to our green spaces' Housing Secretary Michael Gove has warned.

He accused Sir Keir Starmer of not caring about 'concreting over the countryside and bulldozing through the concerns of local communities'.

Sir Keir has pledged to begin a housebuilding blitz in the first weeks of a Labour government and hopes to identify green-belt sites which could be used to ensure targets are met.

But senior Tories have now claimed that a vote for Labour on Thursday ensures Britain's green spaces will be under threat.

Mr Gove told the Daily Express: 'They don't want to give local people a say over housing and will go as far as ignoring local communities in development plans. Be in no doubt, Labour's flagship housing policies are a threat to our green spaces.

'They simply don't care about concreting over the countryside and bulldozing through the concerns of local communities.'

The Conservative Party has pledged to build 1.6 million homes compared to Labour's target of 1.5 million. But while Rishi Sunak has maintained the party's 'cast iron' commitment to protecting the green belt, Labour want to free up lower quality green-belt land, which it is terming 'grey belt', to build on.

Sir Keir has said he wants to 'hit the ground running' when it comes to housing, with three policy announcements expected in the first two weeks of a Labour government.

But former cabinet secretary Dame Priti Patel said his attitude risked angering local communities. 'Sir Keir Starmer has been boasting that he'll ignore the views and concerns of local people,' she said.

The Tories have attempted to make housing and home ownership a dividing line in the election.

Mr Gove has previously accused Sir Keir of imposing a 'first-time buyers tax' after Labour confirmed they would not match the Tory commitment to abolish stamp duty for properties under £425,000.

Sir Keir last night said planning reform is his highest priority as he committed to start work on it 'straight away' if he is elected later this week.

Asked if his first action would be to reform the planning system, the Labour leader replied: 'Yes.'

Speaking to ITV News, he added: 'We cannot go on with the system as it is. Infrastructure takes years.

'Housing takes years to build. We're too slow. We're too expensive. We're over budget.

'We have to take the tough decisions to get the country moving. And we'll start on that if we're elected to serve our country, we'll start on that straight away.'